Thursday, May 20
9:30 am ET
In this special Zoom presentation, you will have opportunity to learn more about how God is working in and through Christians within the Airline/Aviation industry throughout Germany. If you are on our mailing list, you will be receiving notification giving log-in information. If you are not on that list, please contact the FCAP Office Email or call us at (770) 461-9320.
VIVIENDO EN UN MUNDO DE DISTRACCIONES
Mayo 2021
El 29 de Diciembre de 1972, el vuelo 401 de Eastern Airlines despegó de JFK a las 9:20 pm hacia Miami, con 176 personas a bordo. En preparación para aterrizar en Miami, la tripulación notó que la luz del tren de aterrizabje no estaba iluminada. Comenzaron a solucionar el problema, pero no se dieron cuenta que la aeronave había comenzado a descender. Desafortunadamente, la tripulación estaba tán distraída con el problema del tren de aterrizaje que nadie estaba volando el avión, el cual se estrelló en los Everglades. Hubieron 75 sobrevivientes. Como resultado de este desastre, se pusieron en práctica muchas reglas y regulaciones para.
Perdiendo de Vista a Jesús
Las distracciones en nuestros respectivos centros de trabajo pueden ser muy peligrosas, al igual son las distracciones en la vida. Leemos en Lucas 10.38-12 sobre Marta y María. Ambas amaban a Jesús y le servían. Pero Marta pensaba que el enfoque de María era secundario al de ella. Marta no reconoció que en su deseo de servir, estaba descuidando a su huesped. ?Estaremos tan ocupados haciendo cosas para Jesús que no estamos pasando tiempo con Él? No dejemos que nuestro servicio se convierta en llenar nuestra propia necesidad de significado.
En Mateo 14:28-31 leemos de la fé de Pedro y el costo de no estar enfocados en Jesús. Podemos estar en medio de cosas grandes y asombrosas, pero si perdemos de vista a Jesús y miramos el caos de este mundo, podemos comenzar a hundirnos. A veces estamos tan distraídos que perdemos de vista lo que nos rodea, y ni nos damos cuenta lo que hemos perdido, hasta después de la pérdida.
Distracciones Divinas
También es importante notar, que en contraste a las distracciones peligrosas, hay algunas distracciones que pueden ser Divinas, “Más yendo por el camino, aconteció que al llegar cerrca de Damasco, repentinamente le rodeó un resplandor de luz del cielo; y cayendo en tierra, oyó una voz que le decía: “Saulo, Saulo, ?por qué me persigues?” (Hechos 9:3-4) Dios puede re-enfocar nuestra visión en Sus caminos, distrayéndonos de los nuestros. Saúl (luego conocido como Pablo) iba camino a perseguir a los Cristianos cuando Dios llamó su atención. Saulo pensó que estaba arrestando y poniendo en prisión a herejes peligrosos. Jesús le reveló que estaba persiguiendo al mismo Cristo. Por tanto, Dios usa ciertas circunstancias o distracciones como su megáfono para llamar nuestr atención.
Administrando las Distracciones
Entonces, ?cómo administramos las distracciones? ?Cómo podemos mitigarlas? ?Cómo diferenciamos las distracciones peligrosas de las distracciones divinas? ?Cuáles son pasos concretos que podemos tomar para mantener nuestros ojos fijos en Jesús? Ves, siempre hubieron distracciones en el ministerio de Jesús. !La diferencia es la forma en que Él mantenía las mismas en el centro focal de Su Vida! En otras palabras, Jesús no las veía como distracciones. Las veía como opertunidades para salvar lo perdido! Usa las distracciones como oportunidades para hacer la voluntad de Dios. “Nadie te podrá hacer frente en todos los días de tu vida; como estuve con Moiés, estaré contigo, no te dejaré, ni te desampararé.” (Josúe 1:5)
Cuando hacemos la voluntad de Dios a la manera de Dios, con la ayuda de Dios, nadie ni nada puede impedir nuestro éxito. El punto es…estar en la presencia del Señor. Nunca debemos dudar la promesa de Dios de salvación. Dios le ha prometido a los Cristianos que viviremos por siempre con Él en el Cielo. Satanás nunca nos puede arrebatar nuestra viva eterna con Dios nuestro Padre. JJ
En perfecta paz lo guardarás, cuyo pensamiento en ti permanece, porque en ti confía.”
Isaías 26: 3 NKJV
(Este artículo fué escrito por Jake Joseph. Jake es Primer Oficial con Alaska Airlines y también sirve en nuestra Junta Directiva de FCAP)
Have you caught yourself saying, “Things were better back then.” I think the vast majority of us would agree that things were better before the pandemic than they are now. When the people of Israel came out of exile and returned to their homeland, they determined to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, which had been destroyed by the Babylonian army. As they finished reconstructing it, they asked some people who had seen the original temple, “How does this look in comparison to the original?” Haggai recorded that those who had seen the former temple said the rebuilt one could not compare to the original one (Haggai 2:3). Ezra, in his book, recorded that there were mixed emotions, with shouting and weeping (Ezra 3:13). The former edifice represented a place of magnificence, for the “presence of God.” They felt the rebuilt one was inferior! The Lord then told the people that the future splendor of the second temple, which didn’t look like much to them, would be greater than that of the former one (Haggai 2:9).
As humans we tend to measure success and enjoyment by how things look, and by how they make us feel. Maybe what has transpired over the last 14 months has confronted our false notion that God has been equated with our company’s success and our job security. If so, this has become the object of our affections, and we probably idolize them more then we should have. It is not that success, security, and enjoyment are wrong. But rather, it becomes wrong when we use these to define our life, instead of God. The recent changes in our world are making God’s message clear… The grandeur of life is found in God working through us as we journey through life. When this is being accomplished, the future enjoyment of life will be greater than what we thought only the formers days could do for us. PMC Consider: “Don’t say, why were the former days better than these, since it is not wise of you to ask this…. Consider the work of God” (Ecclesiastes 7:10,13 CSB).
This thought was written by Paul M. Curtas, General Director of FCAP.
On December 29, 1972 Eastern Airlines flight 401 took off from JFK at 9:20pm enroute to Miami, with 176 souls on board. When on final approach to land at Miami, the crew had lowered the gear in preparation for landing and noticed that the nose gear indicator light was not illuminated, meaning the nose gear was not down and locked. The crew then began to troubleshoot the problem, but unbeknownst to them the aircraft had begun a gradual descent. Unfortunately, the crew was so distracted with the nose gear issue that no one was flying the aircraft, causing the aircraft to crash into the Everglades. There were 75 survivors. Many rules and regulations, policies and practices are in place today as a result of this disaster, to prevent it from ever happening again.
Losing Sight of Jesus
Distractions in our respective workplaces can be very dangerous, but so can life’s distractions. In Luke 10:38-42 we read the account of Martha and Mary. Both loved Jesus and they were both serving Him. But Martha thought Mary’s approach of serving was secondary to hers. She didn’t recognize that in her longing to serve, she was actually neglecting her guest. Are we so busy doing things for Jesus that we are not spending any time with Him? Don’t let our service become self-serving.
In Matthew 14:28-31 we read of Peter’s faith and the cost of taking our eyes off of Jesus. Distractions take our focus off of Jesus. We can be in the middle of doing great and awesome things, but if we take our eyes off of Jesus and look at the chaos of this world, we can begin to sink. Sometimes we get so distracted that we lose sight of our very surroundings, and sometimes we don’t even realize what we have missed out on until after the fact.
Divine Distractions
It is also important to note that, in sharp contrast to dangerous distractions, there are some distractions that can be Divine. “As [Saul] journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’” (Acts 9:3-4) God can refocus our sights on His ways, distracting us from our ways. Saul (later known as Paul) was on his pursuit to persecute Christians when God got his attention with a distraction. Saul thought he was arresting and imprisoning dangerous heretics; Jesus told him that he was persecuting Christ Himself. So sometimes God uses certain circumstances or distractions as His megaphone to get our attention.
Dealing with Distractions
So how do we deal with distractions? What can we do to mitigate them? How do we discern dangerous distractions from divine distractions? What are some definite steps we can take to keep our eyes fixed on Christ? You see, distractions happened all the time in Jesus’ ministry. The difference in the way He handled distractions is that He just worked the distractions right into the main focus of His Life! In other words, Jesus did not see them as distractions, He saw them as opportunities to save the lost! Use the distractions as opportunities to do God’s will.
“No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5)
When we do God’s will in God’s way with God’s help, no one and nothing can stand in the way of our success. The point is… to be in the presence of the Lord. We should never doubt God’s promise of salvation. God has promised Christians that we will live forever with Him in Heaven. Satan can never snatch us away from our eternal life with God our Father. JJ
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3 NKJV
(This article was written by Jake Joseph. Jake is a First Officer with Alaska Airlines and also serves on our FCAP Board of Directors.)
Enjoy their presentation!
We had the awesome privilege of hearing over Zoom from Eugene and Christina Kraybill about what God is doing in and through airline/aviation outreach in the Dulles, Washington DC and Baltimore area. We give God the glory for all He has done there over the years…and continues to do. Each month we are featuring through Zoom one aspect of the FCAP International Ministry in celebration of our 50th Anniversary.
Make plans now to join us next month (May) when we will hear from Germany. Check our calendar of upcoming events for date, time and sign-in information.
We go through times when our hard and painful circumstances seem like they are getting the best of us, and our faith feels as though we are walking on a tight rope, a thousand feet off the ground, unharnessed. We are tested, tried and probably at times, on the verge of losing it. We can wonder, “What’s wrong with me? Am I that broken?” (The answer should come down to a resigned “Yes”. But that’s for another day! ; )
These times look and feel messy. And fear takes advantage of our fragile hearts and minds.
This place might just be where God wants us. And though there are many reasons and circumstances that bring each of us here, there is a pattern of prayer that Christ held in his most trying time that can apply to us all. Never underestimate the power of prayer.
From Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening: Daily readings…
“And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed.” —Matthew 26:39
There are several instructive features in our Saviour’s prayer in his hour of trial. It was lonely prayer. He withdrew even from his three favoured disciples. Believer, be much in solitary prayer, especially in times of trial. Family prayer, social prayer, prayer in the Church, will not suffice, these are very precious, but the best beaten spice will smoke in your censer in your private devotions, where no ear hears but God’s.
It was humble prayer. Luke says he knelt, but another evangelist says he “fell on his face.” Where, then, must be THY place, thou humble servant of the great Master? What dust and ashes should cover thy head! Humility gives us good foot-hold in prayer. There is no hope of prevalence with God unless we abase ourselves that he may exalt us in due time.
It was filial prayer. “Abba, Father.” You will find it a stronghold in the day of trial to plead your adoption. You have no rights as a subject, you have forfeited them by your treason; but nothing can forfeit a child’s right to a father’s protection. Be not afraid to say, “My Father, hear my cry.”
Observe that it was persevering prayer. He prayed three times. Cease not until you prevail. Be as the importunate widow, whose continual coming earned what her first supplication could not win. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.
Lastly, it was the prayer of resignation. “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Yield, and God yields. Let it be as God wills, and God will determine for the best. Be thou content to leave thy prayer in his hands, who knows when to give, and how to give, and what to give, and what to withhold. So pleading, earnestly, importunately, yet with humility and resignation, thou shalt surely prevail.
Spurgeon, C. H. (1896). Morning and evening: Daily readings. London.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Mt 26:36-46) shares:
According to this example of Christ, we must drink of the bitterest cup which God puts into our hands; though nature struggle, it must submit. It should be more our care to get troubles sanctified, and our hearts satisfied under them, than to get them taken away.
Eileen is the wife of a Delta pilot. Her blog series is entitled “Fine Lines in the Faith.” More about the author in her own words: “I’m a Sunday school grad. I’ve accepted Jesus in my heart more times than I can remember. I’ve worn masks well and God has stripped me of them, painfully. He has broken my spiritual legs and taught me how to walk again, painfully. Still learning to walk. The unknown is unsettling to me. This place is the start of a journey unknown to me. I don’t know who will visit here or who will stay, if these words will be criticized or will bless. But I welcome you here! My true hope is that this is the start of an act of obedience to God’s calling, a calling to write what He has entrusted to me. Join me in this journey to know Him more, love Him more and grow in our freedom by pursuing these fine lines in the faith.
Corporate and business aviation personnel are coming together for regular times of connecting with one another in fellowship, encouragement, and prayer. The time is facilitated by corporate pilot Jamie Luttrell. Whether you are currently employed or are in transition, please make plans to join us! For more information, you can contact jamieluttrell@att.net.
